Current-rectifier.



IINiTEn STATES Patented December e, 1904.

PATENT OEETCED PERCY H. THOMAS, OF EAST ORANGE, N'EV JERSEY, ASSIGN OR TO COOPER HEVV ITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEI/V YORK.

CURRENT-RECTIFIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,565, dated December 6, 1904.

Original application iiled May 6, 1903, Serial No. 155,925. Divided and this application filed ,lug-us'. 23, 1904. Serial No. 221,816. (No model.)

T (tI/Z 'Lul/wmf it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, Pnner H. THOMAS, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of East Orange, county oi' Essex, State oi' New Jersey,

have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Current-Rectiiiers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for obtaining a flow of current in a given direction from IO alternating electromotive forces.

In its physical embodiment the device herein described consists in general of an inclosing chamber containing a gas or vapor and separated electrodes, one or both usually consisting oi' mercury. When properly constructed and operated, a current may be caused to pass in one direction only through such a device, the device opposing so great resistance to flow oi' current in the opposite direction as 2o to practically prohibit such flow.

The particular subject of this invention is a novel form and construction of such a device, the object being to provide means for keeping the device cool, maintaining the proper purity and density of the gas or vapor within the chamber, and adapting it to transmit currents of large quantity.

In carrying out my invention I provide means for conducting a large amount ot' current into and from the device with relatively small resistance and also means for carrying away Jfrom the chamber heat generated therein and for withdrawing from the chamber any excess of vapor and maintaining the vapor in 5 5 the proper condition. Among the means employed i'or these purposes are tubular extensions o'tl the main body of the container, these extensions being iilled wholly or partially with mercury it' that be the substance of either or 40 all ot' the electrodes. In the present instance the ends of the tubular extensions are open and the mercury columns inside the tubes are sustained by a pressure higher than atmospherie pressure, while at the same time means are provided for transferring a portion of the mercury from one tubular extension to the other after causing it to pass through a cooling device, whereby the passage oi the mercury will cause heat to be carried away from the chamber and will also cause any excess of vapor to be withdrawn, as stated above. I may provide artiiicial cooling' means; but this is not always necessary, as the mercury will ordinarily be naturally cooled during its passage i'rom one tubular extension to the other. 5 5 I also provide a pump ot' suitable t'orm for causing' the circulation by positive means oi' mercury into and out ot' the main chamber. In this way a circulation of the mercury within the chamber is obtained.

During the process of circulation the mercury may be cooled by artilicial means, as by one or more refrigerating-coils placed at a proper point or points in the cycle, or I may accomplish the cooling eiiects by causing the 6 5 mercury to enter or reenter the chamber in the form ol" spray. These two means may, if desired, be combined or other `cooling devices may be employed.

My invention will be described more particularly in connection with the accompanying drawing, which represents a vertical section showing one form of apparatus.

In'the drawing, l represents the inclosing chamber containing a suitable gas or vapor, which for convenience will be referred to as Lmercury-vapor. This container is provided with two tubular extensions 2 and 4t, containing columns of mercury, which constitute, respectively, the positive and negative terini- 8O nals of the device. The tubes are here represented as terminating in vessels 5 and 6, into which lead-wires 11 and l2 dip. The outer ends of the tubes 2 and I are open, and the mercury columns are sustained within them by atmospheric pressure.

In the present instance thetubes 2 and i are bent upward, as shown, the outer portion of the bend being carried to a height above the barometric limit, whereby a pressure in excess of the barometric pressure is applied to the terminals inside the container l.

The vessel 6 is connected by'a pipe 8 with any suitable form oi' pump 9, the outlet of which is connected with a pipe l0, which ends just above the vessel 5.

1n the operation current is led from the conductor ll into the mercury in the vessel 5, then passes through the mercury column contained in the bent tube 2 and through the vapor in the chamber l to the mercury contained in the tube a, and thence to the vessel 6 and out by way ofthe conductor l2. In this case it is assumed that the conducting gas or Vapor in the chamber l is under high pressure, and to compensate tor such excessive pressure the weight o'f the mercury above the limit of atmospheric pressure is increased by the weight oi' the mercury in the outer sides of the tubes. rlhe main thing to be obtained is that the column ot' conducting fluid, whatever the nature of the fluid is, may serve as a balance between the external and the internal pressures. To secure good cooling' et'- fects I may surround the pipe 8 with a waterjacket 20.

The term extension or extensions7 as used in this specification does not necessarily mean tubes formed in one piece with the chamber l or formed on the chamber. Such extensions may be tubes secured in the walls ot' the chamber by any means which will prevent leakage.

rlhis is a division of my application tiled hlay 6, 1903, Serial No. 155,925, the said application being itseltl a division of an earlier application tiled February 4, 1903, Serial No. 141,804.

I claim as my invention- The combination with an inclosing chamber and a conducting gas or vapor therein having a pressure higher than the external pressure, of an electrode consisting` of a conducting Huid having its outer terminal exposed and subjected to external pressure, the said outer terminal being located above the barometric height, whereby a balance is secured between the internal and external pressures by adding to the effect of normal external pressure the weight ot' a portion of the conducting Huid.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State oi' New York, this 12th day of August, A. D. 1904.

PERCY H. THOMAS.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE H. STOCKBRIDGE, THos. H. BRowN. 

